September 27, 2012|By CHRISTOPHER HOFFMAN, Special to The Courant, The Hartford Courant

NEWINGTON — — The Friends of the Lucy Robbins Welles Library are asking residents to go Outback on Saturday in support of childhood reading.

The organization and the Newington Outback Steakhouse are sponsoring a lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday to benefit the library's children's section. The restaurant is at 3210 Berlin Turnpike.

The dinner costs $20 a person, not including tip, $13 of which will go to the children's library, Children's Librarian Michelle Royer said. The meal will include a 6-ounce sirloin steak, a 5-ounce piece of chicken, a salad with Caesar or ranch dressing, mashed potatoes, wheat bread and cheesecake.

"Come eat for your library," Royer said. "All proceeds will benefit the children of Newington."

The children's library hopes to use the funds to buy a Smart Board, Royer said.

Newington Outback owner Suzette Kizilski said that she strongly supports community activities and has sponsored other events, including the library's annual pumpkin decorating contest.

"I'm very involved in the community," Kizilski said. "When they reached out on this, I told them not a problem. I love to give back to the community."

The restaurant will probably just cover its costs, she said.

Tickets are available at the library's circulation desk or at the door on Saturday. Checks should be made payable to Friends of the Lucy Robbins Welles Library.